Just a safety net?

So my story goes something like this...

For all of my life, my parents made me go to church. I would have always told you that I was a Christian if you asked. But honestly, I hated church. I hated having to get up early to pretend to pay attention to someone talk. Sam and I used to hide under blankets pretending to be asleep so that we wouldn’t have to go. I mean, I always believed that there was this guy Jesus who lived ages ago who somehow died so that I could go to heaven after I died. But I was kind of like, “Cool, now I can just get on with my life and do whatever I want.”

I guess it was when I started high school and joined the Bible study group there that I really noticed these people who called themselves Christian and acted completely differently. They didn’t just go to church or read the Bible, but they actually thought about it. They were willing to give up their time to care for a bunch of year 7s, not really getting anything out of it. I was only really nice to people because that meant they’d be nice to me, not because I actually cared about them.

And that got me thinking about how I stood with God. I realised being Christian wasn’t just about going to heaven and doing whatever in the meantime. It’s about having a relationship with God, having Jesus not just as Saviour, but Lord as well. Reading the Bible isn’t just a time-consuming obligation, but it’s a way to learn about who God is, and how we fit into that. Going to church isn’t just a sleep-depriving habit, but it’s a way to encourage and be encouraged by other Christians.

So I realised it isn’t enough to squeeze God into that 2-hour block on Sunday, or the half-hour block at Bible study or whatever else. It’s letting God take over everything.

These days, I actually look forward to going to church. I still don’t like getting up early, but it’s worth it. You know, I actually think about what God’s saying through the Bible. If Jesus really died that dreadful death on a cross for me when I was still his enemy, then I can’t just let Him be a safety net. I can’t just live this life for myself, and what comes easily, but I have to give it to God.

♥ V